The Northstar commuter rail line, a public transportation service running between Big Lake and downtown Minneapolis, is facing an uncertain future.

The long-struggling Northstar Commuter Rail line between Minneapolis and Big Lake may be shut down and replaced with bus service, according to a joint announcement from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) the Metropolitan Council on Monday.

The Northstar Commuter Rail – a passenger rail that stretches from Target Field to Big Lake, Minnesota – might be transitioned to a bus service, which some lawmakers say would be cheaper and more effective.

After more than 15 years, the days of Northstar commuter rail service between Minneapolis and Big Lake may be numbered. MnDOT and the Met Council are considering replacing Northstar commuter trains through the northwest Twin Cities metro area with buses.

The train, which launched in November 2009 and makes stops at stations in Elk River, Ramsey, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley, has long been viewed as a weak link in the metro’s public transit

A Minnesota House committee will hear a proposal Monday that effectively begins the process of shutting down the Northstar Commuter Rail system that runs from downtown Minneapolis to Big Lake, and has gotten very little use since the pandemic.